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SOUTH ASIA INTELLIGENCE REVIEW
Weekly Assessments & Briefings
Volume 14, No. 26, December 28, 2015

Data and assessments from SAIR can be freely published in any form with credit to the South Asia Intelligence Review of the
South Asia Terrorism Portal


ASSESSMENT

INDIA
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Manipur: Approaching Stability
Deepak Kumar Nayak
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management

On December 22, 2015, a 55-year-old Assamese man, identified as Dinbashis Boro, was shot dead by unidentified assailants inside his rented house at Thangmeiband Thingel Maru under the Imphal Police Station in Imphal West District. An unnamed Police official associated with the investigation disclosed, "We are looking into the possibility of some militant group being responsible for killing the businessman for not paying as demanded by them. We learnt that the victim had paid some militant groups once or twice in the past. We are looking into all angles."

On August 22, 2015, a civilian identified as S. Walunglua Aimol aka Manglun (45), was shot dead by suspected armed cadres of the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) at Aimol Ngairong village under the Tengnoupal Police Station in Chandel District. He was allegedly opposing attempts to co-opt the Aimol tribe within the Naga identity.

On May 12, 2015, two labourers identified as Abung and Premanand, were killed during ‘interrogation’ by an unidentified militant group at Maipou Khullen in Senapati District.

According to partial data collated by the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), civilian fatalities, at 17 in 2015, declined by 15 per cent from the 20 registered during the corresponding period of the preceding year (all data till December 27, 2015). This the lowest number of civilian fatalities recorded in the first 361 days of a year in the state since 1992 [the year since which SATP data is available]. Civilian fatalities have been declining since 2008, when they stood at 131. Civilian fatalities peaked in 1993, when 266 were recorded. The decline is indicative of improvements in the general security environment of the state.  

The visible improvement is largely due to the more active role played by the Security Forces (SFs). Thus, SFs eliminated 23 militants in 2015, as against nine in 2014, an increase of 155.55 per cent. Some of the militants killed in 2015, included, ‘sergeant’ Phakuiring Khongyo aka Akhui of Manipur Naga Revolutionary Front (MNRF), on May 23; ‘sergeant’ Prem of Revolutionary People's Front (RPF) on March 31; 'home secretary' of the Lanheiba faction of the United Revolutionary Front (URF-Lanheiba) Puyam Ruhinikumar aka Mongyamba (50), and its 'finance secretary' Keithelakpam Tiken (45) on January 7. Overall fatalities among militants in 2015 stood at 53, as against 24 in 2014, an increase of 120.83 per cent. Other than those killed by the SFs, the remaining fatalities in both these years resulted from factional clashes.    

SFs also arrested 478 militants through 2015, adding to 536 in 2014. The highest number of arrested militants belonged to the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), at 65; followed by the KCP, 62;  Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), 59; People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), 55; People's Liberation Army (PLA), 40; the Progressive faction of PREPAK (PREPAK-Pro), 35; the Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K), 21; the Nehlun faction of the Kuki National Front (KNF-N), 13; different factions of the Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA), 10; nine each of the Kuki Revolutionary Front (KRF) and the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF); eight of NSCN-IM; seven of the Vice-Chairman faction of PREPAK (PREPAK-VC); six each of the Kuki National Liberation Front (KNLF), United Liberation Front (URF) and Re-unification Kuki Army (RUKA/KNA-I); five each of the Kuki National Army (KNA) and URF-Lanheiba; four each of the Coordination Committee (CorCom), Kuki Liberation Army (KLA), Liberation of Achik Elite Force (LAEF), RPF, Maoist Communist Party-Manipur (MCP-M), Naga National Council (NNC) and National Revolutionary Front of Manipur (NRFM); three each of Hmar National Army (HNA), the Reformation faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-R) and People's United Liberation Front (PULF); two of MNRF; one each of United Tribal Liberation Army (UTLA), Kuki Unification Frontal Organisation (KUFO), National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Unification (NSCN-U), Kuki People's Liberation Front/Army (KPLF/A) and United Naga People's Council (UNPC); and 13 others, whose affiliation was unconfirmed.    

Unsurprisingly, with aggressive counter-insurgency operations across the State, SF losses have also mounted. In 2015, fatalities among the SFs stood at 24 as against 10 in 2014, an increase of 140 per cent. This is the highest number of fatalities among SFs since 2007, when the number stood at 40. 

With multiple factions operating, factional clashes among militant formations in Manipur have always been a significant aspect of violence. While the SFs killed 23 militants in 2015, 30 were killed in factional clashes (in 20 incidents). In 2014, out of 24 militants killed, 15 were reported killed in 14 such fratricidal incidents. Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam, speaking at the 124th Raising Day of the Manipur Police in Imphal on October 19, 2015, observed that there were more than 40 insurgent groups operating in the State. Gaikhangam noted that, apart from the violence of underground outfits and their numerous frontal organizations, small groups of armed mercenaries were also resorting to abduction for ransom, extortion and other unlawful activities.

Not surprisingly, total insurgency-related fatalities, at 94 in 2015 increased by 74 per cent over the 54 recorded during the corresponding period of 2014. 46 incidents of killing were recorded in 2015, as compared to 40 in 2014. The number of major incidents (each involving three or more fatalities) in 2015 also increased two-fold, with eight such incidents resulting in 45 killed and 33 injured, as against four incidents in 2014, with 11 fatalities and four injured.

There was a downturn in incidents of explosion, of which 54 were recorded in 2015, resulting in eight killed and 40 injured, as compared to 66 in 2014, with 15 fatalities and 76 injured. Incidents of violence were reported from eight out of the nine Districts in the State, both in 2015 and 2014. On December 1, 2015, the Manipur Government extended the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958, in the State by another year. Manipur Government spokesperson M. Okendro Singh stated that the decision to extend the Disturbed Area status of Manipur for another year was taken after collecting data from Police and Central Forces. AFSPA is enforced in areas designated as Disturbed Areas.

The State also recorded an increase in the number of extortion and abduction incidents registered during the current year. 46 extortion cases were reported during 2015; as compared to 31 in 2014 [actual incidence is likely to be much higher as a large proportion of cases go unreported]. An October 29, 2015, media report indicated that NSCN-IM was allegedly charging INR 2,000 every month from each Government employee working in the Chandel District Headquarters. There were at least 29 incidents of abduction registered in 2015, with 51 persons abducted; in 2014, 34 incidents resulting in 50 abductions are on record.

The United National Liberation Front of Western South East Asia (UNLFWSEA), a newly formed platform of four militant outfits of the Northeast region, is trying to rope in at least another nine outfits of the region into the platform, to launch a united struggle against the Government of India (GoI). So far, four outfits – NSCN-K, United Liberation Front of Asom–Independent (ULFA-I), IK Songbijit faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB-IKS) and the Kamatapur Liberation Organization (KLO) – are the constituents of UNLFWSEA.

On October 15, 2015, Paresh Baruah, ‘commander-in-chief’ of ULFA-I, pointed out that seven militant outfits of Manipur have already formed a common platform called CorCom and were likely to join UNLFWSEA, of which six were ready to join ‘immediately’: “But we want the entire CorCom to join us. They have some problem with one of the constituents and we are hoping that they can settle their problems soon so that the entire CorCom can join us. We are expecting that the seven outfits of Manipur will be joining hands with us within this year.” Baruah also claimed that one Tripura group would also be joining the front ‘soon’.

In another adverse development, the current year saw a slowdown in the surrender process. Only two militants surrendered in 2015, as against 93 such surrenders in 2014. A ‘sergeant major’ of KYKL, Ningthoujam Chinglen aka Budha, surrendered before the State Police at Moreh in Chandel District on February 19, 2015; and KYKL militant Takhelchangbam Madhumangol Sharma aka Eiga Khumbongmayum surrendered before SFs in Imphal West District on September 11, 2015.

The surrender of the militants has taken a hit due to the Government’s poor rehabilitation record. A December 19, 2015, report revealed that surrendered militants of PULF had threatened to return to militancy if the Manipur Government failed to extend the benefits of the surrender and rehabilitation policy to them by January 10, 2016. Fourteen PULF militants had surrendered with weapons to the State Government in 2012, along with 100 other militants of various groups. Claiming that PULF cadres were yet to get any benefit of the Centre's surrender and rehabilitation scheme even three years after their surrender, Md. Kaji Umar, former ‘chairman’ of PULF, warned, "We are setting the deadline for extending all the benefits to my cadres by January 10 next year (2016). If there is no response from the Government, we may launch an agitation or go back to the jungles."

Interestingly, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) on February 26, 2015, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju had stated that the Government of India (GoI) had been implementing a scheme for surrender-cum-rehabilitation of militants of the Northeast region since 1998. The scheme provided for a one time grant of INR 150,000, a monthly stipend/remuneration of INR 3,500 per cadre, and incentives for weapons, etc., to be given to the surrenderees. In Manipur, he added, the one-time grant was INR 250,000 and the monthly stipend/remuneration was INR 4,000 per cadre, under a special surrender-cum-rehabilitation scheme formulated in 2012. During the financial year 2013-14, INR 155.5 million was released to the northeastern States towards payment of stipend/remuneration to cadres under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) and surrender schemes.

In a related development, in September 2014, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) had announced the raising of one battalion each of the Border Security Force (BSF) and Sashatra Seema Bal (SSB), comprising surrendered militants from Manipur and Assam. The UMHA plans to recruit 750 former militants each for the two battalions in BSF and SSB. Earlier, on February 13, 2015, Union Home Minister (UHM) Rajnath Singh, during his two-day visit to the State, had disclosed, "We will soon be recruiting surrendered militants. However, I cannot give you a time frame."

Meanwhile, a series of developments in the northeast, especially in Manipur, since the August 3, 2015, Peace Accord between the Centre and the NSCN-IM, raised serious concerns that the security situation in the region could dramatically worsen in the coming months. Reports estimate that 400 Nagas may have been recruited by NSCN-IM since then. There were also reports of the group recruiting more cadres from parts of eastern Nagaland. NSCN-IM is believed to have had about 2,500 cadres before the Accord, and is believed to be targeting recruitment of another 1,000 cadres, mostly from Manipur. Sources in the security agencies are also reported to have indicated that NSCN-IM has probably set up training camps in the Manipur Hills to accommodate fresh cadres and is contributing to possible new flare-ups in inter-tribe tensions in this fragile State. Media reports further suggest that, since the Accord, reports of extortion, arms and drugs smuggling have registered a rising trend in Manipur, with an unnamed official quoted as asserting, “Most of it is being done by I-M (NSCN-IM) cadres.”

The issue of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) continued to trouble the State through 2015. In June, the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS), a pro-ILP movement which has been agitating for long to implement the system in Manipur, restarted its agitation demanding withdrawal of "The Manipur Regulation of Visitors, Tenants & Migrant Workers Bill 2015". The stir intensified with the killing of a youth in Police firing on July 8, 2015. The State faced a complete blockade on numerous occasions. Buckling under pressure, the Government of Manipur was forced to sign an agreement with the JCILPS on August 25, 2015. Subsequently, on August 28, 2015, the Manipur Legislative Assembly passed the Protection of Manipur Peoples' Bill, 2015, the Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2015 and the Manipur Shops and Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015. These Bills place restrictions on the entry into and exit from Manipur for Non Manipur persons and tenants; prohibit the sale of land belonging to a Scheduled Tribe person in the valley areas to a non Scheduled Tribe person without the prior consent of the Deputy Commissioner concerned; and make it mandatory for all shop owners to register their employees, respectively. As expected, the move was protested, with the Joint Action Committee against Inner Line Permit (JACILP) leading the stir. The agitation intensified as nine tribal youths were killed on August 31, 2015, in Police firing at Churachandpur District. According to reports, the bodies of the victims are still being kept at a morgue as a mark of protest. H. Mangchinkhup, the convener of the JACILP, declared, on December 9, 2015, “We will not bury the bodies till the three Bills are repealed. They will be kept in the morgue in Churachandpur till our demands are met.”  Meanwhile, JCILPS has threatened to re-start its agitation from January 3, 2016, claiming the State Government has done nothing over the three Bills once they were referred to the President. A serious confrontation is building up.

The security profile in Manipur has improved enormously over the past years, but potentially destabilizing issues and trends persist. A multiplicity of militant formations continue to exert efforts to restore their dominance across ethnically polarized populations, even as a move for unification of many of these groups with the violent armed formations in other Northeastern States appears to be consolidating. SFs have done extraordinary work to bring back an approximation of normalcy to the State, but it will take enormous (and as yet unlikely) political sagacity to ensure that the gains they have secured through untold sacrifices are not frittered away, as they have repeatedly been in the past.

INDIA
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Maharashtra: Back against the Wall
Mrinal Kanta Das
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management

Six Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres surrendered before the Minister of State for Home (Rural), Maharashtra, Ram Shinde in the Gadchiroli District on December 22, 2015. Those who surrendered were identified as Sainu Hedi, ‘deputy commander’ of Platoon 10, carrying a reward of INR one million on his head; his wife Jano Atram aka Roshni of the same platoon; armed cadres Sandesh Mattamiand Nagesh Pada; and two others. They carried a combined reward of INR 2.6 million on their heads.       

On December 19, 2015, a teenage girl, who had joined the Maoist early in 2015, surrendered before the Police in the Gadchiroli District. The 14-year-old girl, a student of Class VIII at an 'Ashram Shala' in Lahiri village of Gadchiroli, had run away along with two other girls in January 2015.

On December 10, eight Maoists including ‘commander’ and ‘deputy commander’ rank cadres carrying a combined reward of INR 3.2 million on their heads surrendered before the Gadchiroli Police. They were identified as ‘section commander’ of Company No 2 Ashok Oksha aka Deepak; ‘section commander’ of Company No 2, Ungi Madvi aka Manisha; ‘section deputy commander’ of Company No 2, Akash Madvi aka Vishnu; ‘deputy commander’ of the Gatta armed squad Chaitu Kola aka Rushi; member of platoon No 3 Suresh Kola aka Firoz, Kaansur; armed squad doctor Bali Talandi aka Sunita; Local Operation Squad (LOS) member Deoram Hichami aka Tirupati; and ‘commander’ of Jan Militia Lakhma Pallo aka Dasru.

These surrenders are indicative of the sustained reverses the Maoists have suffered over recent years, a fact they acknowledge in their own writings. A letter recovered from an encounter site in Maharashtra, issued on the occasion of the outfit’s 11th anniversary in September, 2015, and written by Maoist ‘central committee’ spokesperson Abhay in Gondi, talks about the killing of about 100 cadres in the preceding year. Earlier writings have documented the steady loss of cadres and areas of dominance across the country, and the virtual decimation of the organization in Maharashtra.

According to the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) database 29, 21, 30, and eight Maoists surrendered in 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2012, respectively, in Maharashtra. However, according to the Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police (SP) Sandeep Patil, as many as 142 Maoists have surrendered in Gadchiroli District in the last four years [2012:14; 2013: 48; 2014: 37; and 2015: 45].

One of the reasons for the steady return of Maoists from the hills to the mainstream could be the Maharashtra Government’s surrender policy and the successful propagation of schemes like ‘Kaun Banega Lakhpati' (who wants to be a millionaire). The top Maoists who have surrendered in Maharashtra in 2015 include Gopi, 'commander' of Korchi 3 dalam and Vijay Dugga, 'commander' of Chatgaon dalam, with a combined reward of INR 1.2 million on their heads.

As in other theatres of Maoist conflict, the Security Forces (SFs) have steadily tightened the screws against the Maoists around the Gadchiroli District of Maharashtra, the only remaining battlefront in the State for a long time. Under tremendous pressure since 2012 the Maoists have seen their position worsening through 2013 and 2014. It is now evident that the trend continues thereafter.

According to the SATP database Maharashtra recorded 17 fatalities, including 11 civilians, four SF personnel and two Maoists in 2015 (data till December 27) in LWE-related incidents, as against 30 fatalities, including nine civilians, 11 SF personnel and 10 Maoists in 2014. Significantly, all fatalities in both years have occurred in Gadchiroli District.   

Furious over the killing of two of their senior cadres, Pramod Kachlami aka Dalpat, a 'section commander' belonging to Company 4 and Ranju Majji aka Kummi, in an encounter at Kondekal near Gatta Phulbodi under Dhanora Sub-division of Gadchiroli District, on September 3, 2015, the Maoists in two separate incidents, set ablaze the Gadchiroli Forest Department’s Range Office and inspection room at Perimili on the Bhamragarh-Alapalli road on September 10, and also burnt down a gram panchayat (village level local-self government institution) office at Durgapur in Pendhri, Gadchiroli District on September 9. They also called for a one-day bandh (shut down strike) in Dhanora on September 10 protesting the encounter. In a banner put up at Durgapur the Maoists alleged that the Police ‘murdered’ the ‘section commander’ in a ‘fake encounter’.

Further, SFs arrested 16 Maoists in 2015, as against 12 in 2014, 23 in 2013, 41 in 2012 and 56 in 2011. However, the arrest of a ‘cental committee’ member identified as K. Muralidharan aka Thomas Joseph aka Ajith from a hospital at Talegaon Dabhade near Pune on May 8, 2015, came as a significant blow to the Maoists. Another critical arrest was that of a senior woman Maoist 'deputy commander’ identified as Aruna aka Punai Devsingh Naitam (24). Further a senior Maoist cadre, carrying an INR 500,000 reward, was arrested from Kasturba Hospital in Wardha District where he had been operated on a day earlier.

There has been a clear downward trend in other patterns of violent activities as well. The Maoists orchestrated one blast in Gadchiroli District in 2015, as against three such incidents in 2014, and seven in 2013. They were involved in four arson incidents in 2015, as against one in 2014. In one such incident on January 22, 2015, the Maoists set on fire around 14 vehicles of an Andhra Pradesh-based private company engaged in road construction in the Dhanora tehsil of Gadchiroli District. The Maoists roughed up a few labourers and their supervisor when the work on the Gharanji-Pustola stretch was underway for the connecting road between Edampayali and Korkoti.

Amidst the slump in their activities in Maharashtra and elsewhere, the Maoists are shifting focus towards recruiting active supporters and are planning the formation of a Revolutionary People's Council, to function parallel to local civic bodies like panchayat samities (village committees) and zilla parishads (district councils). This was revealed during the interrogation of a senior Maoist cadre arrested by the Gadchiroli Police.

Maoist efforts to engineer a revival were confirmed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, on August 4, 2015, while replying to a query in the monsoon session of the Maharashtra Legislative Council, when he admitted that the Maoists were trying to create a base in the Mumbai-Nashik-Pune belt.  Fadnavis disclosed, “It has come to light that in the urban and industrial belts in these areas, the Maoists are trying to clandestinely propagate their ideology and are creating an impression that they are raising their voice on Dalit issues and attracting Dalit youth to the Maoist movement.”   

Meanwhile, in a press statement, the CPI-Maoist acknowledged the death of ‘central committee’ member, identified as Sridhar Srinivasan aka Vijay aka Vishnu, of heart attack on August 18, 2015. The Maoists also acknowledged that Srinivasan was active in the Mumbai, Pune and Vidarbha regions before his death. These revelations strengthen the apprehension expressed by Chief Minister Fadnavis that the rebels are trying extend their influence into these urban spaces. The ‘central committee’ member carried a cash reward of INR six million in Chhattisgarh alone, besides rewards announced by several other States.

The Maoists are in a state of crisis in Maharashtra, and SF dominance has been established in areas that had long been dominated by the rebels. Nevertheless, there are some signs of complacency creeping in, as crucial posts in the Police in the afflicted regions of the State remain vacant over extended periods of time. The Maoists have been pushed back at tremendous costs in treasure and blood, and it would be tragic if this advantage is wasted by irresponsibility and neglect on the part of those who control the destinies of the State.


NEWS BRIEFS

Weekly Fatalities: Major Conflicts in South Asia
December 21-27, 2015

 

Civilians

Security Force Personnel

Terrorists/Insurgents

Total

BANGLADESH

 

Islamist Terrorism

0
0
3
3

Left Wing Extremism

0
0
3
3

Total (BANGLADESH)

0
0
6
6

INDIA

 

Jammu and Kashmir

0
0
1
1

Manipur

1
0
1
2

Left-Wing Extremism

 

Andhra Pradesh

1
0
0
1

Chhattisgarh

1
0
1
2

Odisha

2
0
0
2

Total (INDIA)

5
0
3
8

PAKISTAN

 

Balochistan

1
0
5
6

FATA

5
1
7
13

Punjab

0
0
5
5

Sindh

0
1
3
4

Total (PAKISTAN)

6
2
20
28
Provisional data compiled from English language media sources.


BANGLADESH

Pakistani diplomat withdrawn from Bangladesh allegedly for financing JMB: Fareena Arshad, second secretary (political) at Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka city was withdrawn from Bangladesh on December 23 weeks after allegations of her involvement in terror financing surfaced in the judicial statement of Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). JMB operative Idris Sheikh, arrested on November 29 in Dhaka city, told the court that he got a ride from the Pakistani diplomat in her car from Baitul Mukarram to Fakirerpool, and received BDT 30,000 from her. This is the second instance of withdrawal of a Pakistani diplomat from Bangladesh. In January 2015, Mazhar Khan, a Pakistani envoy was expelled from Dhaka for allegedly funding JMB operatives.  Daily Star, December 24, 2015.

Organisations like JMB have been operating under instructions from ISI, say Bangladeshi officials: Organisations like the Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) have been operating under instructions from Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) to create chaos in India's eastern sector, Bangladeshi officials said. With operations getting more difficult in Jammu & Kashmir, the ISI has apparently turned its attention to Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal. Times of India, December 21, 2015.

No Islamic State in Bangladesh, asserts Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal: There is no existence of Islamic State (IS) in Bangladesh as intelligence agencies do not have any evidence of its existence here, said Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on December 22. Kamal said, “All the political killings and attacks on religious establishments are being conducted by our country's militant outfits like JMB and Ansarullah.” All the attacks are being carried out to make the country unstable to secure political gain, he added. Daily Star, December 23, 2015.


INDIA

79 youths in Kashmir Valley join militancy, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary: 79 youths in Kashmir Valley have joined various terror outfits during this year, a figure which is 30 per cent higher than that of the previous year, Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) was informed on December 23. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary said as per reports, 79 youths have joined militant ranks during 2015 (as on November 30) whereas 60 youths joined militant ranks during the corresponding period of 2014. Daily Excelsior, December 24, 2015.

91 militants killed in Jammu and Kashmir, says report: Security Forces (SFs) have killed 91 militants in counter-infiltration and counter-militancy operations this year so far. On the other hand, at least 60 militants managed to infiltrate into Kashmir valley this year ahead of snowfall. However, the Multi Agency figures of the infiltration for this year’s are at 25 till October. Daily Excelsior, December 22, 2015.

Peace accord recognized Naga sovereignty, reiterates NSCN-IM: The Isak-Muivah faction of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) on December 24 said that it and the Centre have agreed to share "sovereign power for an enduring and peaceful co-existence of the two entities" in the framework agreement signed on August 3. A statement issued by the joint council of the outfit said, "The Nagas will have the right to exercise their sovereign power over their territories. Nagas are the master of their land. Our identity needs to be recognized. The government of India has now recognized the unique identity of the Nagas, which is a bold step forward." The Telegraph, December 25, 2015.

Government exploring options to monitor social media, says Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Haribhai Chaudhary: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Haribhai Chaudhary informed the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Indian Parliament) on December 23 that the Government is exploring options to monitor social media. The Union Government is planning to establish a situation room to analyse social media in real time. Hindustan times, December 24, 2015.

Strengthen sanctions regime against terrorists, India asserts to UNSC: Afghan peace talks without "perceptible reduction" in violence by the Taliban will not eliminate risks to reconciliation, India on December 22, has said as it called on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to strengthen its sanctions regime to ensure listed terror outfits are denied safe havens. "India has always maintained that any such peace talks have to be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned and should only be with those Taliban sympathisers who are willing to accept and work within the Constitution of Afghanistan," India's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Bhagwant Bishnoi told a Security Council debate on Afghanistan. NDTV, December 24, 2015.


NEPAL

Denying justice to the victims of the armed conflict would be a misfortunate chapter for the country, says TRC Chairman Surya Kiran Gurung: Chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), Surya Kiran Gurung, said that denying justice to the victims of the armed conflict would be a misfortunate chapter for the country. The TRC, which was formed in 2014, has completed field study in 23 Districts by organizing interaction programs with victims. The TRC has a mandate of two years. Myrepublica, December 25, 2015.


PAKISTAN

Federal Government orders stricter action against Islamic State splinter groups across the country: The Federal Government directed the Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) operating across the country, especially in Karachi, to take stricter action against the Islamic State’s (IS/ also known as Daesh) splinter groups. Following Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s directives to the Federal Ministry of Interior, the LEAs have been told to expedite their efforts against the IS not only to weaken them but to eliminate them altogether. Tribune, December 26, 2015.


SRI LANKA

Muslim community can contribute significantly to efforts of Government for reconciliation among all communities, says President Maithripala Sirisena: President Maithripala Sirisena on December 24 said that the Muslim community can contribute significantly to the efforts of Government for reconciliation among all communities. He said, "I trust those who follow the teachings of Prophet Muhammad, in Sri Lanka, can make a significant contribution to building a nation rich in tolerance, understanding and reconciliation, which will strengthen the efforts to take the country on the forward march to progress." Colombo Page, December 25, 2015.


The South Asia Intelligence Review (SAIR) is a weekly service that brings you regular data, assessments and news briefs on terrorism, insurgencies and sub-conventional warfare, on counter-terrorism responses and policies, as well as on related economic, political, and social issues, in the South Asian region.

SAIR is a project of the Institute for Conflict Management and the South Asia Terrorism Portal.

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Dr. Ajai Sahni


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